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Two committees of the United States Congress recently announced the opportunity to participate in a possible Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, which would collect requests for temporary reduction or cancellation of import duties on specific products.

On April 12, 2011, counsel for the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (“NCBFAA” or “the Association”) submitted a letter to the Federal Maritime Commission (“FMC”) offering commentary and a request for a reopening of proceedings under Docket No. 10-03, Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier Negotiated Rate Arrangements.

On February 18, 2010, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) voted 3-1 in favor of initiating a rulemaking that would grant licensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs) an exemption from the current requirements for publishing in tariffs the rates they charge for shipments.

On October 15, 2009, CBP published a Final Rule amending its regulations to update provisions relating to the declaration, entry, and dutiable status of repair expenditures made abroad for certain vessels.

In an effort to promote domestic manufacturing, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced a proposal to exclude the value of U.S.-origin parts from the dutiable value of certain articles exported from the United States for repairs, alterations, or processing performed abroad and subsequently returned to the United States.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) ruling that the safe harbor statute applies in proceedings under the Tariff Act relating to process patents, as well as product patents, for imported products that are used for the exempt purposes of 271(e)(1).